A 1903 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Prohibits retaliation against inmates in State correctional facilities who report sexual abuse; criminalizes retaliation and failure to report abuse.

This bill protects inmates in New Jersey state correctional facilities who report sexual abuse, harassment, or violence by staff. It requires the Corrections Commissioner to create a confidential, fee-free system for inmates to file complaints anonymously, with language access and clear information about reporting options. The bill prohibits staff from retaliating against reporting inmates through transfers, job changes, or other punitive actions, and mandates victim advocate support. It criminalizes both retaliation against inmates and staff failing to report abuse, punishable as a fourth-degree crime with up to 18 months in prison or a $10,000 fine.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Jan 13, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
1
Key actions
0
Committee
0
Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee
lower
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors

Sponsors